The present invention relates to dynamic rotating seal assemblies of the type which may be used in devices for the treatment of fluids and gases.
In various processes, fluids and gases such as water and air are passed through chambers in which they are subjected to some form of treatment such as chemical reaction, irradiation, drying, cooling and the like. When the treatment unit is static, the problem of effecting a sealing action for the device providing the treatment chamber is relatively easily addressed. However, if the treatment unit includes a rotating device which is providing the effective treatment element, there is considerably more difficulty in providing an effective durable seal between the rotating element and the container providing the chamber in which it is rotating and about the openings for the inlet and outlet and for the drive shaft. In this instance, the seal must be effective during the dynamic rotation of the components and avoid significant wear on the sealing elements isolating the fluids or gases which are passing through the rotating element. Fairly complex structures have frequently been utilized to provide effective sealing action between relatively wear resistant components utilized to provide such a seal.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel rotating seal assembly in a fluid and/or gas treatment unit incorporating a rotating treatment element.
It is also an object to provide such a seal assembly which can be fabricated relatively easily and economically and which is relative long lived.
Another object is to provide such a rotating sealing assembly in which the pressure exerted upon the components providing the sealing action is relatively uniform and controlled to minimize premature deterioration of a deflectable sealing element.
It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects may be readily attained in a fluid or gas treatment device containing a dynamic rotating assembly for passage of a fluid and/or gas therethrough comprising a housing having a generally cylindrical body and end walls extending across the ends thereof to define a generally cylindrical chamber therewithin. A generally cylindrical container member is rotatable within the chamber and has a hub and a peripheral wall. A shaft extends coaxially through coaxial apertures in the housing end walls and through the hub of the cylindrical container, and the shaft and cylindrical container are engaged to rotate as a unitary assembly.
Resiliently deflectable biasing elements are disposed within the chamber adjacent the inner surface of both housing end walls, and generally circular wear plates are disposed adjacent the inner surface of the biasing elements. Resiliently compressible, generally circular sealing members are disposed between the wear plates and both ends of the cylindrical container and are rotatable therewith.
Generally circular bearing members extend about the generally circular sealing members and about the cylindrical container and are rotatable therewith. The bearing members bear upon the wear plates and the circular sealing members bear against the wear plates and are resiliently compressed between the cylindrical container and the wear plates.
In the preferred embodiment, each of the housing end walls has a pair of flow apertures diametrically offset to opposite sides of the coaxial apertures in the housing end walls, and the sealing members have diametrically offset passages therethrough which will align with the offset apertures in the housing end walls to provide passages through the container and housing as the cylindrical container rotates to bring into alignment the housing apertures and the passages in the cylindrical container. The wear plates have apertures therein which are aligned with the offset apertures of the housing end walls.
Desirably, there are included sealing elements about the shaft in coaxial apertures of the housing end walls. The resiliently deflectable biasing elements and the circular sealing elements are preferably elastomeric. Each of the wear plates frusto-toroidal has a central web portion and a generally troidal portion extending thereabout to provide a convex surface disposed towards the adjacent biasing element. The opposing surface of the biasing element has a central web portion and a generally frusto-toroidal concave portion extending thereabout which substantially conforms to the convex portion of the wear plates.
The circular sealing members project axially only a small distance beyond the plane of the outer surface of the circular bearing elements and the bearing elements limit the compression of the sealing members.
The container is of wheel-like cross section with a hub providing the passage therethrough for the shaft and spokes dividing the interior of the container into a series of sectors.
The circular sealing members are of cooperating wheel like configuration and their spokes are seated on the spokes of the container.